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Forged in Sorrow Part I
Javelyn awoke early that morning, glancing her big brown eyes toward her brothers and sisters that were squeezed tightly next to her, sleeping. They all shared the same ragged old bed, carved from pine wood. It was covered with old ragged off-white sheets that were hastily sewn together with patches. The off white was probably a brighter shade of white at one point, but over time it darkened and faded. They also shared one old quilt that had once been stitched together with family fabrics of a variety of colors, starting to fall apart at the seams.
Javelyn’s ears twitched as she heard them all snoring away like a chorus of hums and haws. A family of thirteen jackrabbits, including herself, and her father who she could hear puttering away in the next room over.
The jackrabbit family lived in an old shack in one of the poorest parts of Ratlington. It was built with pine logs, darkened with age over time. Some of the clay shingles had fallen off like leaves off a tree only to shatter when making friends with the slate stone pavement. One of the tattered tan colored window shutters lay hanging by a single hinge. There were two bedrooms, one for her dad, a middle aged jackrabbit named Anvil, and one for her and her siblings. Otherwise there was a living room, and outside an old gray wooden outhouse.
Javelyn stretched out her brown gray furred hands, and softly yawned stretching out her dark brown striped face revealing more of her muzzle and underbelly, all the while her ears twitched. The brown gray fur also went down her face and around her ears, with a tan almost pink inner ear, and white tufts sticking out of the inner ears.
Javelyn’s stomach grumbled, protesting that the meal she had the night before was barely enough to keep her satiated. Her own body was barely skin and bones.
The young jackrabbit furling moved to put on her dress, a hand me down from one of her older sisters, which was also hastily sewn together. It had patches of all different types of cloth, the main color behind beige.
Once properly dressed, Javelyn made her way into the living quarters, where she found her tired father. He looked a lot like her, the same brown eyes and brown stripe, but curiously had a darker tail scut. His fur was a darker brown than hers too. He wore two oval glasses and a tattered cloak. The cloak was dirty with black soot and burn marks on the cloth, but was otherwise a dark blue in color.
She noticed Anvil’s tail scut wiggle happily when he turned around, his big ears flicked when he saw her.
“Javelyn,” he said gently. “It’s good to see you, my dear.” He had a tired voice, but it was a kind one, if not a bit sad. He smiled at her. “Won’t you get some tea on the kettle?”
“Of course, dad!” Javelyn said. They might not have had much to eat, but they made the most out of herbs that were grown out back in the garden. Javelyn plucked her father’s favorite, some lemon grass and peppermint, and mixed them with some green tea.
She took the kettle and hung it over the fireplace, allowing it to brew. The steam sighed and hissed as the water boiled.
“That’s a girl,” Anvil said, patting her gently on the head.
Javelyn smiled, she looked up to her father. Deep down she hoped to be a blacksmith, just like him.
It wasn’t long before Javelyn’s siblings heard the sighing of the kettle and the aroma of the herbs as the tea brewed. They were all yawning and stretching.
“Alright listen up everyone,” Anvil said wearily. “I’m going to get ready to go down to my shop. Now I don’t have much, but I want you to try and see if you can barter some more of our metal wares for food.” He shook his head and sighed sadly.
Javelyn could tell he had a worried expression on his face. She reached up and tugged at his cloak. “It’ll be ok, dad,” she said with a smile. “You’ll sell lots of swords today!” she said hopefully.
Anvil smiled hopefully, he bent down and wrapped Javelyn in a big hug. “Your mother would have said the same thing,” he said, quickly wiping a tear from his eye. “She would have loved you, little furling. Always full of enthusiasm and hope.”
Of course, even with such enthusiasm, Javelyn was still eager to help. Each of her siblings gathered up pieces of metal that their father had forged into various objects, from plates to cups, to knives and old swords. As much as they could carry. Though Javelyn was small, she certainly did her best to drag the old cloth sack as much as she could.
As she walked out the door, she noticed the courier had stopped to deliver a letter to their door. The courier was a friendly old gray mouse with brown eyes, and a decidedly gray mustache. He had a long, almost worm-like tail that had a pinkish tan to it, with little hairs growing out of it. He sported a long red knitted cloak along with a brown leather sack that he carried postage with. He smiled gently at Javelyn. “Good day to you, Javelyn!” he said happily. “How are you, poppet?” His voice sounded like a scrappy old English gentleman.
“I’m doing great, sir!” Javelyn said happily. “We’re helping my daddy sell some of his works!” she said proudly.
“Oh my! Would you like me to have a look at your wares?” Asked the friendly old mouse courier.
“Yes, please!” Javelyn said with a wide smile.
After several minutes of looking at her wears, the old mouse courier offered her two coppers for a butter knife, and a silver piece for a matching set of cups. “Never can have enough of these letter openers you know! And this mugs are certainly made of the finest tin, that I can see!”
“Thank you again,” Javelyn said! She waved goodbye to the old mouse and continued on her way. She sat on a street corner of the alleyway and advertised her father’s wares the best she could.
Of course, the hours went by and she barely sold anything else that day. Most of the townsfolk simply shook their heads and continued along their way.
Javelyn frowned. She’d hoped to have a better day that day, but alas it wasn’t to be so.
Satisfied at least that the kind mouse courier had at least paid for a few things, she went home to show her family. Everyone had glum faces. They were lucky to get a copper or two, but barely enough for a meal.
Javelyn looked up and saw Anvil looking over at each one of his children. He had a single letter in his hand, the same one the courier had brought earlier that day. Javelyn noticed he was shaking, and could feel some tension. Javelyn could hear him click his teeth nervously.
“You know I love each and every one of my children,” Anvil said, his hands still shaking with the letter. “But I must be honest with you. It’s been difficult caring for all of you since Hearth died.” He shed a tear as he said this, his voice sounding heavy with sadness. He looked down at Javelyn, bending down close to her at eye level. “You were her last, and I know when she had you in her belly, she loved you very much.”
“What’s wrong daddy?” asked Javelyn, sensing her father’s sadness. “Do you miss mommy? I wish I could have met her.”
“More than you know, dear,” Anvil said. He shook his head and looked away. “And I fear my business alone may not be enough to care for all of you. Look at you, skin and bones almost like skeletons. I’m afraid we may not sell enough as we are right now to feed all of you. I don’t want to see you perish as your mother did.”
“But what are you going to do?” Javelyn’s eldest brother, Odachi, a lighter brown jackrabbit who had a teal sweater on, and a scarf and a nearly white scut said approaching his father. “Sales are down so low. No one’s buying anything.”
“No,” Anvil swallowed a heavy lump, and he had a guilty look in his eyes, “But the military will pay for all kinds of weapons. The Rat King has requested new recruits to join the swordmaster program. All of you are still young enough to begin training. This letter was sent out to different households in our neighborhood,” he shook.
Javelyn’s heart sank. “Training? Military? Sword master?” she asked sadly. “But doesn’t that mean we’ll have to leave home?” Her pupils were wide, tears filled her eyes.
Anvil gritted his teeth, “I can barely make ends meet. The Rat King will pay handsomely for new weapons and armor, but only if each family selects at least one child to join their ranks. That child will be fed and well cared for by their sword trainer, and with a rank like swordmaster they will always have food and shelter.” He looked back at his family. “You won’t have to go hungry.”
Anvil swallowed hard. “Not all of you will have to do it, just one. Famed Hatamoto Scimitar has chosen to adopt our household in particular, he will select one of you to become his apprentice.”
Odachi stood up proudly and declared, “I’ll do it father. For the honor of our family, I’ll step up.” Javelyn could tell he had a serious tone, and was trying to be strong.
But Anvil shook his head. “Scimitar has to be the one to choose, son.” He placed a hand on his shoulder. But he gave a wry, wary smile. “But thank you for wanting to step up and take care of our family.”
Odachi stood firm. “Then I’ll prove I’m good enough for our family!” he said firmly and determined, looking at each of his younger siblings and smiled reassuringly. “Besides, I was thinking of joining the military anyway. Getting to become a sword master has always been my dream, but I never realized The Rat King was actively calling for new members, especially in districts like ours.”
“We should be thankful The Rat King has given us this opportunity to rise above and give someone in our family a military rank. This doesn’t happen often, but it seems the threat with the howlers continues to grow. He wants to make sure we’re ready for it,” Anvil said, he had a slightly sad smile.
Javelyn could tell the idea of sending his own children off to a potential battle, to be trained far from home was going to be hard on him. She didn’t particularly like the idea of being separated from her family either. But she also trusted her brother would do well. Among them, he was the strongest and most determined. Surely, Scimitar would choose him.
That next day, Scimitar came to their home. He was a friendly sort, a cheerful attitude and one who enjoyed joking. He paused seeing each of the rabbits, looking them over carefully. He frowned, and Javelyn could see some amount of sadness in his eyes when he saw them. It wasn’t clear what he was thinking.
“Why me?” Javelyn asked.
Javelyn didn’t expect that she, instead, would be chosen. Her siblings were taken out one at a time, showing what they could do with a wooden sword. Javelyn didn’t want to do it, but she still tried anyway, knowing that if she was chosen, she couldn’t let her siblings down. And she did her best too, despite it all.
“Because in your heart,” Scimitar said, bending down to look at her from eye level, “You know you’d do anything for them. And I can see you have a good heart, Javelyn.”
“But she doesn’t want to do it!” Odachi said, approaching the old Hatamoto with gritted teeth and balled up fists. “But I do, it’s been my dream and --”
“Do you really want to do it to help your family, son?” Scimitar asked, “Or are you doing it for glory?” He cocked his head sideways. “Javelyn would give up anything to make sure her siblings are fed.”
“I would, I would!” Odachi said, Javelyn could hear the heated anger in his tone. “Why would you make her do it!? I know she doesn’t want to.”
“I see something in her, son. But,” he looked sorrowful, his ears lowered, “I know you’re determined, and I’m sure you’d make a great swordsman. But it’s more than just using a sword, it’s what’s in your heart too. I’m sure you’ll find the right trainer, my boy. I’m just not it.”
Tearfully Javelyn hugged her father tightly. Anvil handed Javelyn a family portrait of their family. “It’s all I have to give you, daughter,” he said tearfully. “I’m sorry this had to happen.”
“Why can’t Odachi go?” Javelyn protested, “He wanted this, not me.”
“Scimitar has his reasons, but for now, do it for the family, daughter,” he said, patting her on the head.
“No, I want to be a blacksmith like you!” She protested. “Surely I…”
Anvil stiffened. He wiped his tears away and looked at her sternly, “Javelyn, you need to go. Please.”
And so, Javelyn took her journey with Scimitar into the woods to begin her training.
End of Part I.